Sega keeps on finding new things to help Yakuza players pass the time when they're not engulfed in what usually ends up being an edgy, adult story. Yakuza 4's new contribution to the series is a make-your-own-fighter mode.

Titled Kakutouka wo Tsukurou! ("Let's Make Make a Fighter!" -- a play on Sega's "Let's Make a XXX" sports series). Your goal is to train your fighter to win a "Newcomers Tournament" which is held in the game's underground fighting dojo. You create a practice menu and can also assign direct training exercises to your pupil. Your responsibilities extend beyond the ring as well, as you'll need to go drinking with your fighter in order to strengthen your relationship.

If you manage to make your fighter rise to the top of the championships, you'll be able to team up with him in the underground battle arena. It's important that you form good ties with your student, as you'll be able to perform cooperative heat action moves.

There's a story behind this mode, as detailed at Famitsu.com. You play as Taiga Saejima, one of Yakuza 4's four heroes. The person who runs the underground dojo asks Saejima to train the dojo's pupils. He believes that if the dojo can produce a champion, it will become popular.

When Saejima starts off, he has just one pupil, Hideo Sugiyama. However, as you progress, you'll end up with five pupils.

The third pupil is the real reason Yakuza 4 made the headlines on Friday. Sega announced a celebrity tie-up that will see Fukushi Ochai, son of former baseball superstar and current Chunichi Dragons manager Hiromitsu Ochiai, appear as the third pupil. Ochiai's likeness, voice, and name are all being used for the character.

In comments shared with the press, Ochai said that his character is selfish and meant to annoy the player. This was his first time in the recording studio, but he was able to get into the role by imagining himself fighting pro fighter and former football player Bob Sapp.